Suction cleaner demother



Nov. 7, 1950 J. P. HUNTER r:r AL 2,529,158

SUCTION CLEANER DEMOTHER Filed July 15, 1949 Inventor.- James P. Hunter, Allen P. Cawl,

Their Attorney @atenteri Nov. '7, i956 SUCTION CLEANER DEMOTHER James P. Hunter, Eastlake, and Allen P. Cawl, Painesville, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 15, 1949, Serial No. 105,022

1 Claim. (Cl. 21-127) a tank cleaner with an inexpensive and convenient attachment for disseminating insect repellent vapor, or deodorizing or disinfecting air flowing through the tank.

More specifically, an object of our invention is to construct a tank cleaner particularly suitable for driving out moths and moth larvae in addition to performance of normal cleaning operations.

In accomplishment of the foregoing objectives, a feature of our inventionconsists in mounting a fabric container adjacent the air intake of a tank type cleaner, so that air drawn in through the cleaner will pass over and agitate a compound, such as moth crystals, placed in the container, and exhaust under pressure an insect repellent or deodorizlng vapor.

The features of our invention which we believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. Our invention itself,-

however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and 2 filter bag, and clean air is blown out the exhaust end.

Since it is necessary to replace occasionally the dust filter bag H, the cleaner is constructed with the end cap 1 readily removable. For this purpose an end ring I2 is secured to a wall ll defining tank body I. Ring I2 extends axially outward beyond the end of tank body I and includes at one portion of its periphery a catch member I4, preferably on the under side of the cleaner. A catch-engaging arm I5, of resilient material, is attached to end cap I to co-operate with catch 14 to maintain the end cap in position. A pushbutton l8 carried by arm l5 permits advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a front elevation, partially in section, of a tank type cleaner embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a developed view of a fabric compound bag; Fig. 3 is a view of the completed bag shown by Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternate bag fabrication embodying our invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, we have shown a tank type cleaner having a main tank body portion I slidably supported on the floor or other surface by runners 2 carried on brackets 3 aflixed to the tank. For convenience in mov ing, a handle 4 is included at the top of the tank. Power is supplied for a motor-driven fan (not shown) through an electric cord '5. A suitable pushbutton 6 controls the fan operation. End caps 1, and 8 respectively are attached to tank body I at the suction and exhaust ends. These end caps may be removed to provide access to the interior of the tank body. As is conventional with this type of cleaner, a flexible hose 9 may be inserted into a central aperture in either end of the cleaner. For normal cleaning operations where suction cleaning is required, the flexible hose is inserted in suction port It. With such a connection, dirt-laden air is drawn in through the suction end, is filtered in passing through a filter bag ll, so that the dirt remains in the release of catch arm l5 from catch l4 upon application of inward pressure, permitting end cap 1 to be removed. Diametrically opposite spring arm IS, a second spring arm ll may be attached to end cap I for more securely retaining the end cap in position. As shown in Fig. 1, spring arm I! has an end portion co-operating with a catch member l8 secured to end ring l2.

The dust filter bag It is removable from the cleaner so that dust and dirt drawn in may be disposed of when the filter bagbecomes dustladen. Preferably, bag II is of the permanent type, rather than a disposable bag. To support the open end of the dust filter bag in the proper position, it is connected to a cylindrical supporting member 2| by a clamping ring 23 engaging the bag material. Member 2| may include an annular groove 22 to improve the clamping ring engagement. The cylindrical bag supporting member 2| includes an outer flange portion molded in position within a resilient gasket 20, of rubber or similar material. Gasket 20 is adapted to abut against an inturned flange I9 formed as part of end ring l2 for an air seal. Air drawn in through suction port It is directed to the open end of bag II by a frusto-conical shield 24. Shield 24 is clamped within the end cap between gasket 20 and a flexible grommet 21 surrounding suction aperture [0. When the end cap is secured to the tank body with shield 24 positioned between gasket 20 and grommet 21, an air seal results between the shield and the grommet and between the shield and the dust bag. Thus all air drawn in through suction port It is deflected into the open end of dust bag II and leakage of air around the end cap joints is eliminated. It may be noted in this connection that for normal cleaning operations, a second dust filter bag of the disposable type may be clamped between shield 24 and grommet 21 with its open end facing suction port Ill. The suction port It may include a ring of metal 28 crimped to the end cap for strength and to provide a surface to receive the end of a suction hose. To make the end cap more rigid and aid in guiding.

-where moths or moth larvae are apt compounds connected to each method of fabricating the bag.

3 shield 24 into a proper sealing position. a stiffenin: flange ll may be spot welded within the end cap as shown by Fig. 1.

In accordance with our invention, when not used in cleaning, this suction for demothing by blowing the vapor from moth crystals into closets, clothes, and other places to be found. Similarly,'deoderizing or disinfecting operations may be performed. For this purpose, we employ a fabric bag 29 into which any suitable form of moth, deoderizing, or disinfecting crystals or 30 may be placed. As is clearly shown by Fig. 1, fabric bag 29 may be secured in position adjacent the suction port of the cleaner by engaging its open end between rubber grommet 21 and the outer end of shield 24. Thus, as the tank cleaner is operated and air is drawn in through the suction port ID, the crystals 30 are greatly agitated by the rapid movement of air.

The air picks up the gases and vapors from these crystals after which it is blown out through the exhaust port of the cleaner. The blower hose 3 with a nozzle 3! may be connected to the exhaust port if it is desired to concentrate the flow of vapor.

In the practice of this invention we find it preferable to employ a separate bag forthe compound 30 rather than placing the crystals directly into the dust filter bag II. The reason for this cleaner is adapted position,

an appropriate bag of suitable shape may be fabricated in other manners..

' be directed to the desired point in a concentrated is that bag 29 should have a smaller bag area than the usualdust filter bag, so that a more concentrated air blast impinges on the crystals or compound to accelerate their disintegration.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, we have shown one method by which a fabric bag for this application may be fabricated. We find that a bag made ;from cotton sheeting, with approximately 72 threads per inch, is satisfactory for this purpose. It is obvious, however, that numerous blast through a blower hose and nozzle. It is to be understood, of course, that the blower hose and nozzle are not essential.

From the foregoing, it is seen that a tank type cleaner is readily converted into this demothing apparatus which is conveniently employed to direct vapors from crystals to any desired point. Because of the' simplicity of our improved construction, this demothing arrangement may be added to a conventional tank type cleaner at a very small additional cost. Furthermore, with this cleaner construction, the conversion back from demothing apparatus to normal cleaning apparatus is readily accomplished by the operator with the minimum of trouble merely by removing the' bag 29. While the present invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the invention.

other materials are available for meeting the requirements. The interstices between the threads making up the material of the bag in any event should be sufllclently large to permit passage of air therethrough, but sufficiently small to prevent particles of the crystals themselves from being blown out in the air stream. This bag is readily fabricated from fiat material cut into the shape shown by Fig. 2 with two halves 32 and 33 other at 34 and 35. The bag is completed by folding the fabric with one half over the other half and sewing closed the open edges as shown at 35 in Fig. 3. A bag thus results which has a wide bottom 31, a narrow neck portion 38 Such an arrangement of the bag permits its ready insertion into the suction cleaner end cap,

and results in a concentrated air blast through the narrow neck into the enlarged compound containing portion to achieve maximum disinteand an outwardly-flared mouth 39.

gration of the compound and discharge of vapor into the air'stream.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown an alternate In this embodiment the two halves l0 and ll of the fabric making up the bag are joined at 43 and this section 43 forms the closed end of the completed bag as 1 shown by Fig. 5. The two halves are again sewed together, as at 36, to form a completed bag of identical shape to that shown .by Fig. 3. However, an advantage of a bag fabricated as shown by Figs. 4 and 5 is that the bottom or closed end of the bag is unimpeded with stitching 36 so that there will be slightly less resistance to flow of air through the closed end of the bag. Obviously We, therefore, aim in the appended claim to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the foregoing dis-' closure.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

For use in a suction cleaner of the tank type having means defining intake and exhaust ports, a power-driven fan for forcing air through the cleaner, a removable end cap for the cleaner, and means for clamping a bag within the cleaner with its open mouth in alignment with the intake port, that improvement which comprises a bagof flexible porous material for containing a compound to be vaporized by the flow of air through the cleaner, said bag comprising a wide mouth portion for engagement by said clamping means, a narrow neck portion closely surrounding said intake port to concentrate the flow of air into said bag into a blast, and an enlarged closed end portion for containing the compound, said clamping means constituting the sole support of said bag withinthe cleaner whereby said compound is agitated by flow of air through the cleaner.

JAMES P. HUNTER. ALLEN P. CAWL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

